‘This is our Selma. This is our Little Rock.’
One of the buttons depicted two children — one Black, the other white — sitting on a school bus. “Keep the buses rolling,” the button read, a motto that emerged in the face of mounting opposition to busing. The other button called for “Better Schools” and “Integrated Schools.

BMC summit stresses need for collaboration on health equity
Throughout the day-long conference, held Sept. 12 at the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter in South Boston, attendees talked about what steps local organizations are taking — and what work could be done — to address disparities in access to care. Throughout it all, the urgent call for novel solutions was constant.

Boston School Committee approves White Stadium lease agreement
The proposed overhaul would refurbish the 75-yearold stadium, furnishing it with upgraded amenities as it is prepared to be the home of a professional women’s soccer team that would use the 11,000-acre grounds alongside Boston Public School students..

Federal funding aims to reduce school children’s exposure to lead in drinking water
“Kids should have access to healthy, safe water wherever they go to learn and play every day,” said John Rumpler, senior attorney at Environment America. “It’s vital for their health that kids drink water and stay hydrated. That water should be clean and safe when they’re at school or in child care.

Boston Police to reach record-breaking $100M overtime
“Year after year, administration after administration has tried to address the issue of overtime spending to no avail, and I think it’s due time for us to see what we can do, for accountability measures on overtime spending,” said Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, a co-sponsor of the hearing.

50th anniversary of Boston school desegregation
On Sept. 12, 1974, Boston Public Schools students faced an uphill battle. After years of protests and lawsuits, Judge William Arthur Garrity had found that the schools in Boston were unconstitutionally segregated. His ruling would have many repercussions throughout the city.

“50 years later, we still struggle to create equality in education in Boston Public Schools.”
“50 years later, we still struggle to create equality in education in Boston Public Schools.”.

IN THE NEWS
Award-winning historian, author and civil rights activist Valerie Cunningham was recently honored by the Black Heritage Trail in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a non-profit organization founded in 1994 during their 30th anniversary celebration.

A consequential week for Black and Latino Boston
What is happening this week at the city and state level could have the most consequential impact on the economic fate of Black and Latino residents and homeowners in Boston. If you’re interested in the matter of real Black wealth creation, you should pay attention.

Saving the world as a path to prosperity
This week, clean energy and sustainability leaders from around the country got to tour the site of a new Qcells solar panel factory in Cartersville, Georgia. Once the new facility is up and running, Qcells will maintain the first fully integrated solar supply chain in the US – all right there in Georgia.

Say toodles to towing: text alert service wants to help residents avoid towing
In the two years he had been living in Boston beginning in the summer of 2020, Silvert’s car had been towed six to eight times for street cleaning or other reasons, costing him a whopping $1,000 in fees. And it wasn’t just him.

In Brockton’s budget saga, hot potato hit the floor
Long before layoffs in the spring of 2023, Brockton was once hurtling toward bankruptcy. Near insolvency in 1990 demanded debt-financed operations, a control board and special legal duties for public servants, especially Brockton’s chief financial officer.

For Spanish speakers, a non profit media outlet is looking to address disinformation ahead of election
Representatives from Spanish language media outlets and community organizations join leaders from media nonprofit Factchequeado at a “cafecito” coffee hour to discuss community needs. As an organization, Factchequeado is focused on limiting disinformation for Spanishspeaking communities in the United States.

Remembering Frankie Beverly
The world of entertainment has lost another important icon. Frankie Beverly, the lead singer and songwriter of the soul and funk band Maze has passed away. His death was announced in a statement by his family, posted to his Instagram account. It did not say where Beverly died or cite the cause.

The Jackson 5’s Tito Jackson, 70
NBC Los Angeles spoke to a family member who confirmed the death. His sons also posted the news to Instagram. “It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson is no longer with us. We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken,” his sons TJ, Taj and Taryll said in the post.

Black music as our gem and gravity center
As our gem and gravity center, Black popular music culture used to be the place where we found answers and joy, a balm in our Gilead. A Stevie Wonder song, or a hip-hop anthem like “Headed for Self-Destruction” was a map. Aretha sang about “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.”.

One Day Only Fest presented by KickBack Boston
From left: Chimel “Real P” Idiokitas, founder of Silk RnB Party; Devin Morrison, co-founder of The Teachers’ Lounge; Rachel Francois, co-founder of KickBack Boston; Daniel Francois, co-founder of KickBack Boston and Maxime Hilaire, founder of Gangsters Buy Flowers.

Embrace Massó ‘¡Con Salsa!’ International Music Festival
On Saturday, Sept. 14, Embrace Boston hosted its Inaugural Embrace Massó “¡Con Salsa!” International Music Festival. Embrace Boston President and CEO Dr. Imari Paris Jeffries (middle) poses for a photo with José C. Massó III (right) and his son José Massó (left).

North Shore Latino Business Association Annual Gala
Last Sunday, the North Shore Latino Business Association held its 13th Annual Dinner Gala. Almost 900 members packed the Harborview Ballroom at Danversport for an evening of dining, live entertainment and networking. Frances Martinez (CEO, Founder, center with the microphone) with the Executive Board.

Silk R&B Party
This past weekend hundreds of people headed to the Tall Ship Boston for Silk, a day-long party featuring smooth vibes, classic hits and soul-stirring rhythms..

Boston’s Top Chefs of Color & Best Ethnic Restaurants
Get Konnected & Colette Phillips Inc celebrates the inaugural Top 25 best ethnic restaurants in Boston, and Boston’s top 10 chefs of color. Pictured: Esther Tetreault, owner of Trillium; Nia Grace, owner of Grace by Nia; Hector and Nivia Peña, owners of Tres Islas Restaurant Group.

6th Annual Caribbean Rum & Food Festival
(right) Anita and Barbara of the Authentic Caribbean Foundation greet guests at the 6th Annual Caribbean Rum & Food Festival. (above) Authentic Caribbean Foundation Inc. founder and CEO Andrew Sharpe shows off one of the Caribbean Rum & Food Festival signature drinks, the Barbados Surprise.

Meet the Black teenager fighting cancer — with the soap he invented
At age 7, Heman’s parents gave him a chemistry set for his birthday — and things got a bit more serious. He’d already started learning about chemical reactions online, so he got inventive and mixed the kit’s sodium hydroxide with aluminum to produce heat.

How small businesses can leverage AI for success
The expanding role of artificial intelligence in modern life has been the subject of much discussion and some controversy in recent months. Therefore, it was no surprise the topic was featured on the first day of the 2024 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference, which kicked off Sept.

CVS to allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control in Mass.
Providence-based CVS offers the service already in 10 states. Would-be patients 18 and older can walk into any CVS in Massachusetts, ask to speak to a pharmacist, and following a health screening and blood pressure check, if not precluded by health conditions, will be able to have a prescription written by the pharmacists.

Patriots lose tough overtime contest to Seattle Seahawks
Coming off their surprising 16-10 opening week road victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, the New England Patriots found themselves in a position to go 2-0 to start the 2024 National Football League season.

Howard dominates Morehouse in third straight HBCU NY Classic victory
The Howard Bison remain undefeated in the HBCU NY Classic as they overpowered the Morehouse Tigers, 35-21. The neutral site game was held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on Sept. 14.

UConn Huskies celebrate back-to-back NCAA titles during White House visit
The East Room of the White House was still buzzing with applause after President Biden entered the storied reception hall Tuesday afternoon with the NCAA men’s basketball champions from the University of Connecticut.

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese shatters WNBA single-season rebound record
Entering the game, Reese needed just six rebounds to surpass the previous record held by Sylvia Fowles, a former Sky legend who retired in 2022. Reese not only claimed the record but did so in dominant fashion, finishing the night with 19 rebounds and 17 points, marking her 24th double-double of the season.

Renowned Indigenous artist Jeffrey Gibson installs new mural in Dewey Sq.
There’s a new kid on the artistic block. Last week, world-renowned multidisciplinary artist Jeffrey Gibson installed “your spirit whispering in my ear” in Dewey Square on the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

The Jar fosters diverse human connection through art, dialogue and dinner with strangers
On a crisp spring evening in early May, several dozen people from all ages, backgrounds and walks of life gathered in Simmons Hall, an eye-catching MIT residence hall designed by Steven Holl.

N.U. music program helps Dorchester, Roxbury high schoolers find their sound
His philosophy is, “Producers create things that people have to hear and listen to and perceive in a certain way, shape or form,” he said. “But the most important thing as a producer is to know how to listen as well. One must know how to perceive their own sound in the sounds of others.

Justice Jackson returns to Harvard
For many schools around the country, homecoming is usually celebrated in the fall, typically in late September or early October. Harvard University got an early start this year when they welcomed one of their own back for a very special book discussion at the Sanders Theatre.